xp/bf: questions for breastfeeding teachers

thatsmary · April 2011

I teach at an elementary school and am going back to work in two weeks. I have a few concerns. My typical schedule is:

Arrive at work at 7-7:30, 8:00-8:10 morning duty (every other week), 10:10-10:35 break/recess duty (alternate week), 12:15-1:00 lunch, 2:35 kids go home (Friday they leave at 1:05) and I have meetings/IEPs/etc., 3:30 I can officially leave (except on Tuesday when I'm there til 4), 4:30 I usually leave (although with a newborn at home this will probably change). I also commute an hour each way to/from work. DD will be at home with my mom or MIL until summer break.

Where do you pump?

How do you pump on rainy days when the kids are in your class?

Do you have yard duty on your break time? I do every other week during morning recess. I was hoping to pump during this time. Thoughts?

Where do you store your EBM during the day?

How do you wash your parts? Do you do it after every pump session? Can you just refrigerate the parts between and wash them at home?

Do you ever get a chance to eat/meet with your co-workers anymore?

Anything else I didn't think of?

My co-workers with babies have all moved over to formula saying that it was too hard to pump at work. I really want to make it work, but I definitely don't have support there so I'm looking for it here.

mle929 · April 2011

Where do you pump? I use the children's bathroom in my classroom (They use the hallway one instead.) I never let them know it's a bathroom. My first graders think it's my "office".

How do you pump on rainy days when the kids are in your class? I'm blessed with great teachers on my team. Every day the other 2 first grade teachers each take half of my class during our common snack time in the morning. I send half to each of their classrooms. This is at 9:30.

I also pump when they're at special (art,PE, music, library) at 1:00.

Do you have yard duty on your break time? I do every other week during morning recess. I was hoping to pump during this time. Thoughts? I have recess duty 2x per week, but I don't pump then (11:00-11:20)

Where do you store your EBM during the day? In a little cooler that came with my PISA pump.

How do you wash your parts? Do you do it after every pump session? Can you just refrigerate the parts between and wash them at home? I use medela wipes after the first pumping session b/c the children walk in and out of my room to get snack etc. After the second session I rince with hot water and bring home to wash and sterilize.

Do you ever get a chance to eat/meet with your co-workers anymore? It's very hard. I was actually in tears over this today. I do, but it's stressful to use my planning time to pump. I make sure to eat with 1/2 teammates. I also try to meet once per week after school with the other first grade teachers.

Anything else I didn't think of? No, but let me know if you have any more questions.

YourSong · April 2011

I would pump while eating lunch with my friends, while wearing a cover. This was while the kids were eating lunch in the lunch room. I would also pump RIGHT before the kids got to school and right after they left.

I was the second teacher in the group to pump 'undercover' during lunch, so I wasn't a ground breaker there. It is really really hard to pump and teach. I had to suppliment with formula, but still thought that the breastmilk I got was worth keeping up the pumping so I could nurse on the weekends some too.

mooretiggr · April 2011

Where? the school MUST provide a non-bathroom private space for you. Ex- my school has a storage room in the library that we can use, we post a sign and no one comes in until the pumping mother is finished.

How do you pump on rainy days when the kids are in your class? See above, make sure its a space that student couldn't wander into.

Do you have yard duty on your break time? I do every other week during morning recess. I was hoping to pump during this time. Thoughts? First- you're probably going to need to pump 2x a day, especially in the beginning. Second- the school will need to afford you time to do so, which means they are going to need to work with you and your schedule to find an appropriate time- make sure it's a set time, don't let them strong arm you into something inconsistent- it makes pumping harder and you are less likely to stick with it!!!

Where do you store your EBM during the day? i keep it under my desk in the pumping bag with an ice pack.

How do you wash your parts? there are wipes you can use made my medela if you're super-concerned about doing it immediately after.

Do you do it after every pump session? no, I wipe down at the end of the day and wash at home on Tues and Fri (usually just one pump on Fri b/c of hours)

Can you just refrigerate the parts between and wash them at home? yes this is a safe alternative.

Do you ever get a chance to eat/meet with your co-workers anymore? i'm new at the school so this doesn't really apply to me since i only know 2 other teachers really and they have different planning times then me.

Anything else I didn't think of?Stick with it, fight for your rights and don't give up just because others said "it's too hard." if you are committed you can make it work, just SPEAK UP!

celiabwatson · April 2011

First, I have a kind of unorthodox suggestion... pump while you drive. Get a handsfree pumping bra and a car adapter or rechargeable batteries for your pump. Hook yourself up in your driveway in the morning, pull over part way to school to unhook, rinse parts when you get to school. Repeat in the afternoon on the way home (except perhaps drive off school property to a secluded spot before hooking up). You said you have an hour commute. Use that time. I have a 30 minute commute and I used to pump in the car. My co-workers were amused but I found it totally safe. Once I was hooked up I didn't have to look down or anything, just check periodically at stoplights that the bottles aren't getting full because I did have the experience of one leaking all over my lap once. Anyway, moving on to your actual questions: Where do you pump? In my car, as previously mentioned, and in my boss' office (he's out helping with lunch when I pump).
How do you pump on rainy days when the kids are in your class? See above, I don't pump in my classroom. If you're wondering about when I would get time to pump on rainy days I pump during lunch so that time always exists. Technically I'm supposed to be with my class during lunch but we worked it out so other teachers watch them and I can pump. It was nice to finally stop pumping after the winter break (my boy turned one) and actually be able to eat with my kids. Do you have yard duty on your break time? I do every other week during morning recess. I was hoping to pump during this time. Thoughts? You will need a consistent time to pump. I do have "yard duty" 2 days / week so I chose not to use that time to pump, instead it's my planning time (which I need). If you can find a consistent time that would be best. You may have to swap duties with someone, so they take your yard duty and you take afternoon duty or something for them.Where do you store your EBM during the day? At first I stored it in the pump bag but then I started storing it in the staff fridge since I would drop it off with the sitter on the way home and it was easier to not have to go digging in the pump bag.How do you wash your parts? Do you do it after every pump session? Can you just refrigerate the parts between and wash them at home? I rinse after every session and then run through the dishwasher in the evening. I have 2 sets so I don't have to run the dishwasher every night just for pump parts. You can refrigerate between just fine, I chose not to.Do you ever get a chance to eat/meet with your co-workers anymore? It's hard to be a pumping mom, but worth it. I most missed eating lunch with my students but I can do that again now. I only pumped until he was a year (technically he was 11 months and a bit but I had enough stored to get him to a year so I stopped). With summer break it was only 5 months of pumping at work, not too bad in the grand scheme of things. I also work at a very small school and see almost everyone on a daily basis even with pumping. Usually we all stand around at/after dismissal and check in a bit.
Good luck!

atomicemmy · April 2011

yeay! You can do this! Let me encourage you -- it is so worth it. Think of the awesome health benefits from your milk (and the savings).

I went back to work teaching at 5 weeks and we're still EBF.

What pump do you have? Get the best pump out there. Don't scrimp. I got the Freestyle and it's super-portable so I love it.

Buy back-up parts -- at least 3 sets. That way you have some clean if you're slammed in the morning on the way to work.

I re-use the same set of parts twice in a day and just clean them at night in the dishwasher. Medela also makes a QuickClean microwave bag that sterilizes them quickly.

Also -- keep an emergency-only set of parts at your office in your desk.... for that day when you thought you packed all the parts but forgot some at home. #@$!!

Timing: 30 minutes to pump is leisurely; but I can get it done in 15 minutes: beginning with walking out of the classroom and then walking back into the classroom. (Actual pumping time about 8 minutes.)

Also essential: a Simple Wishes bustier to make it hands-free -- I even wear it OVER my regular nursing bra to make the transition quicker.

and Lansinoh BM storage bags. I pump and then put the milk directly into the Lansinoh bags so I don't have to do it later at home.

p.s. -- LOVE the other girls' suggestion to pump in the car. Totally have done that in a pinch.

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